Voters May Get 3 Term-limit Proposals

Some Legislators Want To Limit Lawmakers And Cabinet Members To 12 Consecutive Years In Office.

January 17, 1992|By Lawrence J. Lebowitz, Sentinel Tallahassee Bureau

TALLAHASSEE — Voters may have as many as three proposals to choose from in November if they want to limit the terms of some elected officials.

The House Elections Committee approved a bill Thursday that would limit state lawmakers and Cabinet members, except the governor, to 12 consecutive years in office. If it becomes law, the clock would start ticking for the lawmakers in November.

The bill (HJR 745), sponsored by Speaker-designate Bo Johnson, D-Milton, contains language that would make it law if it receives a simple majority on the ballot, even if competing term-limit bills gain more votes.

Momentum also is growing to place another term-limits proposal on the ballot dealing just with the congressional delegation.

Johnson said he expects Rep. Everett Kelly, D-Tavares, who is speaker pro tem, to file such a proposal.

Even though the bill-filing deadline has passed, Kelly's proposal probably will get a full hearing before the elections committee because Johnson chairs the rules committee that could grant a last-minute waiver.

In addition, there is the Eight is Enough citizens initiative organized by Winter Park businessman Phil Handy. The group wants to limit all Florida lawmakers, Cabinet members and the congressional delegation to eight years in office.

The fact that the proposal approved Thursday by the elections committee would give the Legislature's term-limitations bill priority over any other plan, did not sit well with the Eight is Enough group.

Executive Director John Sowinski called the House plan ''the kind of institutional arrogance that the public is tired of.''

Eight is Enough group needs 364,000 qualified signatures before the August deadline to get on the ballot. Sowinski claims the group has 150,000 signatures.